


God of Thieves

by Susimau



Series: Stealing from Death [2]
Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gods & Goddesses, Envy Wooyoung, Gluttony Yeosang, God Hongjoong, God Mingi, Greed San, Japanese Mythology - Freeform, Kitsune Yunho, M/M, Mentioned Other K-pop Artist(s), Shinigami Jongho, oni seonghwa, they are a mess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-04
Updated: 2020-09-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:29:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26285719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Susimau/pseuds/Susimau
Summary: Hongjoong's daily life after dying twice and becoming a god
Relationships: Kim Hongjoong/Park Seonghwa, Past Kim Hongjoong/Song Mingi
Series: Stealing from Death [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1899403
Comments: 20
Kudos: 101





	God of Thieves

**Author's Note:**

> This is set after Part 1, please read that one first!

"So, do you come here often?"

"Regularly, with reckless souls of all kinds, but it's mostly humans... Not exactly my area of interest."

"I see, so what do you do in your spare time? When you're not torturing the souls of egoists?"

"Oh, this and that. You know, what you do down here."

Wooyoung’s soft voice got lost in an uncertain note. Exhausted, Hongjoong buried his head in his hands, closing his burning eyes for a moment. The warm wood under his elbows creaked as he laid his arms on the table as well.

As soon as he raised his gaze back to Wooyoung, the sin mischievously pursed his lips and helplessly raised his shoulders.

Hongjoong just threw him an amused grin in response. He leaned back, stretching his cracking backbone.

"I don’t think this is going to work out. Dating in hell is just not an option," he sighed playfully, and Wooyoung did the same, stretching his arms out in front of him.

"It is. But maybe you're just in the wrong place here. Does it not make more sense for a god of thieves to date Greed?"

"Are you seriously suggesting to date San? Please tell me this is an incredibly bad joke."

Wooyoung just laughed and then winked conspiratorially at Hongjoong as he stood up. Meticulously, he pushed his chair to the table and then waited until Hongjoong had gotten on his feet, too.

"The alternative is always Seonghwa. I heard you already shared your bed with him anyway, so why not?" His grin became smug, and Hongjoong stared him down darkly. With narrowed eyes, he was looking for a scar on the man’s pale arms.

"Be careful, or another butter knife will fly."

Wooyoung just waved it off away laughing and then left, his black ponytail disappearing within seconds through the next cold obsidian wall. Hongjoong was left alone.

Alone with the bunch of bats on the ceiling. As alone as possible.

For a moment he stood in the room undecided and with boringly dangling arms, then he set off determinedly. He was taking long steps through the walls simply because hey, he could.

Two floors up, he skipped knocking and just marched directly into the nicely decorated room with the long table and the little bonsai in the middle of it. The master of the house looked up curiously, from where he was crouched at the head of the table in a flowery white robe. One knee was drawn up and his arm settled on it.

In front of him in a bowl, there was an indefinable red thing that looked as if it had been alive some time ago. Hongjoong just rolled his eyes as he stepped to the cupboards in the wall and jerkily pushed open one of the wooden doors.

"Spreading the good mood, huh? Very human," Seonghwa greeted him belatedly. Hongjoong just grunted as he searched the cupboards, finding all kinds of weapons and stuff, but not what he needed.

"Stop it. I’m not your food anymore.”

Behind the next painted door was what Hongjoong was looking for. Happily, he began to pull out two large baskets, immediately attaching the first one to his back.

“I could eat you in other ways." Seonghwa’s deep, mischievous voice travelled over to him. Hongjoong glanced up at him in warning, whereupon Seonghwa just grinned at him with bloody lips and then took a bite from his... kidney or something.

"Ew."

"Mingi once considered becoming a vegetarian."

"I can relate." Hongjoong made a face and then grabbed his basket. Without looking back, he started marching outside.

"You and I have a date tomorrow night, don't forget!"

"I won't as long as you're not taking me to dinner."

Seonghwa’s loud laughter followed him very pleasantly as Hongjoong left. The two baskets of not yet wholly bleached bones were securely attached to his figure.

He went down. Past the training hall, where he heard San training with Yunho, passing the throne room, into which Jongho had just led new souls, deeper down to a big steel door. It was more of a gate than another door. Seven metres above his head, in the twilight of the tower, an upper edge was visible. Hongjoong was sure the giants he encountered here 24/7 very much appreciated this single door.

Smiling, he stepped through, into a circular hall that occupied the entire radius and half the depth of the tower downwards.

It was cold. Ice covered the walls in a thin film, and the darkness below Hongjoong seemed limitless and deadly.

Sighing, Hongjoong put down his baskets.

"Kuro-ya... Come here; I got something for you," he whispered sweetly and reached for a thigh bone from the first basket to wave it lamely.

The darkness answered him with the gruesome crackling of bones that echoed at a horrible volume in the hall. Promptly, a whitish shadow lifted in the dark to come towards Hongjoong.

The man respectfully took a step back as the gigantic skeletal fingers reached for the railing in front of him, bouncing against the stone with an unpleasant sound.

Everything inside Hongjoong contracted as the bare bone glided rough along a metal edge. The hand was easily as big as an entire carriage.

"Again, unfortunately, no blood... I'll talk to Seonghwa and see if he'll let you go for a walk next time.”

Something clattered loudly; then a vaulted structure rose from the shadow. It emerged from the darkness as if through water, and two enormous empty and dead eye sockets stared straight into Hongjoong’s soul.

The former human grinned coquettishly at him and then nodded towards the bones.

"Help yourself. I don't know when I can come by again."

For a long moment, they just stared at each other, then Gashadukuro gently grabbed the baskets and lifted them into the darkness, crunching further.

"He wants to introduce me to his little one tomorrow. I don't know what I am supposed to do... Baby-sitting a little hellion together with Yunho? I don't know." Sighing, Hongjoong sat down against the wall and stared up at his friend’s empty face. The skull that floated in front of him was perhaps as giant as his entire room.

"I have no idea how long we'll be there... I still owe Yunho and Jongho a day in the city, and where Jongho is, there is Yeo. And when the whole troop is away, you need San immediately and oh yes... I have little desire for all that. I won't see you for such a long time."

Hongjoong leaned his head back while Gashadukuro worked on the bones. By eating them, he was fusing them to his body wherever they suited. He kept chattering his teeth softly as if to answer Hongjoong. The god’s eyes closed.

"The date with Wooyoung was also ridiculous... I guess I accept having a bizarre relationship with everyone from down here. I don’t see myself dating any of them."

Gashadukuro chattered his teeth approvingly.

"If you weren't 15 meters tall, I would have dated you immediately, but as it is, it's going to be hard to hold hands and all the rest.” Hongjoong gestured with a tired smile.

"You're down here again?"

Hongjoong opened one eye first, then the other when he saw Mingi. The man was now standing at his side and watching the oversized skeleton with him. It stared back, nonchalant and empty.

"It's better than up there," Hongjoong pointedly responded. Mingi pushed his hand through his dark hair with a sigh, nodding towards the gate.

"Let's get dinner. Today you have another training session with San."

"First of all, I'm not hungry; I watched Hwa doing it again. Secondly, I manage to defend himself against San quite well by now, why the effort?"

He and Mingi were a bit on edge ever since Hongjoong had learned that he had wanted to kill him. It was not as if he, as the proud god of war, and Hongjoong, as the little trickster god of thieves, had to be primarily diplomatic with each other. Yet, they would spend eternity here. Hongjoong had every right to be angry for a while at his once quasi-lover.

Mingi gave up, leaving him alone with his best friend. Again, a ghostly silence returned. Hongjoong’s pale friend had finished his task.

"Well, then... I'll let you know when I have something fresher for you."

With that, he shouldered his baskets again and waved at the submerging skeleton friendly. After it was gone, he followed Mingi casually.

Not surprisingly, the man had been waiting for him outside the door. Now, he fell silently into step with Hongjoong and accompanied him without a word into the dining room. The rest of their small group had already gathered there. Yeosang greeted Hongjoong with a bright smile full of little teeth and joyful eyes. Hongjoong grinned back as he put his baskets down by the door.

At a casual wave from Seonghwa, two hones took care of them, so Hongjoong was able to sit down at the table, taking a seat between Seonghwa and Yunho. He was opposite of Mingi, but whatever. At least San didn't dig his spurs into his feet today.

"Tell me, Hongjoong, how is Kuro doing? To be honest, I wasn't exactly the person I most expected to become a close friend," Yeosang began a conversation, laughing. Jongho at his side, rolled his eyes violently enough to see his spine.

"I really don't know what you all have against him... In general, many of the demons you carelessly lock away are just lonely," Hongjoong replied calmly, finding an amused Seonghwa with his eyes.

"What was that again last year in the library?”

Hongjoong punished him with a glare and then turned to Yunho next to him to hand him the breadbasket he could not reach.

"I am voting to set him free. Japan knows what to do if yokai make trouble out there. The smart ones can defend themselves, and I don't want to have to judge the rest anyway.”

"Survival of the fittest," Jongho agreed with his fork raised in praise. Hongjoong grinned at him before returning to his own food.

"I am happy to sit in company of people that don’t question my morally reprehensible ideas. Yeo, you really were the only safety pole here," Hongjoong mumbled with his mouth full. San on Yunho's other side was grinning uncomfortably, while Yeosang himself only raised his shoulders in embarrassment.

"I can call Jackson for you if you want to talk this out," Jongho suggested with an evil glint in his eye. Hongjoong hurried to shake his head hastily, turning his attention to Seonghwa instead.

"So, what do you think? A day of horror and terror on earth until the little ones have had their fill? You can certainly accompany them," he made a diplomatic proposal. Seonghwa's fingers glided lazily over the rim of his wine glass, his face pensive.

"It is my job to let them go now and then anyway... But all at the same time, that means a massacre. Japan would have no more inhabitants," he murmured with a sardonic little smile. It was well-hidden around the corners of his mouth, but his eyebrows were unwillingly drawn together.

"I could let Kuro out for now. But not the whole pack."

Hongjoong could be content with that. Nodding with thanks, he returned to his food. Becoming a god had its advantages in the end, besides a lot of work. A new stomach, for example. Immortality. An eternity with these idiots here (even if he could reside somewhere else but shh.)

Apart from his already familiar idiots, the place had become fuller anyway since he was no longer a human soul. Or at least he saw more of them than before. For example, as a human being, he had only noticed his own mortal sin, being ignorant of the fact that everyone else was around him all the time. Now here he had met Greed as San, Gluttony as Yeosang, Envy as Wooyoung, Pride as a spindly boy named Bambam (no one remembered his real name) and Lust in the form of a young (and always terribly seductive) woman who actually only let them call her Envy. Wrath and Sloth were also women, but they stayed away from Hongjoong. His only meeting with Ira had ended in a bloodbath between her and San. He simply never saw Acedia around. Nobody did, she was very true to character.

They were joined by various reapers who regularly delivered their victims here, and of course Jackson. He was the new loud but very lovable angel who had taken Yeosang's post here. He regularly got into a fight with Wooyoung when he fought and flirted mercilessly with all the inhabitants of the tower regardless of their sex and relationship status. This behaviour had already gotten some people’s patience to run thin with him. Jackson's sense of justice was so great that everybody always had to fear that he would suddenly look over their shoulder and hold a speech about right and wrong.

This was true even about the otherwise rather frightening Seonghwa. The oni regularly lost his footing when Jackson jumped out from behind his throne to question his judgement.

While Hongjoong found the angel very amusing and never had any trouble with him, he avoided him for the mere fact that he preferred silence. Where Jackson was, there was definitely no silence.

"Hello, my dear friends!" A loud call tore away Hongjoong from his thoughts. He flinched; their quiet banter suddenly interrupted. A hand landed on his thigh, grabbing him as frightening as it was reassuring.

Did the idiom about the devil count for angels too, or did he have to worry?

Jackson grinned at them like an excited puppy. Yeosang immediately greeted him politely, while Mingi's and San's faces remained empty masks of rattling thoughts for an escape route.

Hongjoong swept Seonghwa's hand from his lap and nodded confidently at Jackson as he joined them grinning and greeting.

"What are you all doing tomorrow? I heard that a fairy festival is taking place on the central plain. We could all go there together!" Excited, he looked around between them. Their introverted group just sighed inwardly, then one by one, they started finding their excuses.

"I'm sorry, I still have work to do downstairs tomorrow." Mingi was the first to apologise, and Jackson nodded much more seriously than necessary, promptly catching Yeosang's eye.

"Oh, uhh, I would actually like to be there! If we can take Jongho with us, I'd love to!"

The expression of naked horror on Jongho's face was worth choking on a piece of potato. When Jongho’s punishing look found Hongjoong, he just grinned at him sunnily. He was still trying to stop choking on his food. That would be a really lame death compared to the two he already had behind him (not that he could die, but reflex.)

Jackson's attention was now on him as well. Hongjoong hurried to swallow and nod swiftly at Seonghwa. "We'll visit his kid tomorrow, sorry.”

Seonghwa agreed a bit too quickly, and Jackson just smiled. He skipped Yunho, who would be there as a kitsune anyway, and focused on the very neutral looking San.

It was beyond Hongjoong’s imagination how Jackson could try to be friends with San, despite everything that San embodied, but he managed somehow. And was incredibly tough in his attempts.

"I can't."

"Why not?"

"I'm planning to cut my nose hair tomorrow," he said in a slight panic. Yeosang's loud laughter swallowed the sound of Seonghwa's hand hitting his forehead and how Hongjoong was just about to suffocate again.

Jackson looked confused but understanding as ever.

"Oh, that... I can understand that, of course. This is... very important." Hongjoong swore that his gaze glided in wonder over San's absolutely harmless nose. Still, he was too busy giggling quietly with Yunho to keep looking after Jackson.

"But such a pity! Youjin had told me that he knew you; I was looking forward to spending time with you all!” Jackson looked a little disappointed (like a kicked puppy) back and forth between San and Hongjoong. This time his eyes were watering from how hard he coughed.

Oh, he was absolutely sure Youjin could not _wait_ to see them again.

"Oh, that... Nevermind. Leave the greetings, too," he quickly silenced the man as he tried to open his mouth again. Jackson just nodded confusedly, the one loose strand of hair from his slicked-back hairstyle was so distracting on his forehead.

Hongjoong gave San a wordless look, tested the waters to see if he had understood what it was all about. However, San was already absorbed in the wonders of his food again and gave him no attention at all.

Very well.

There was no peace anymore, but at least Hongjoong was safe from choking for the rest of the meal.

-

Seonghwa indeed chose to wear clothes that covered his skin as much as possible when they left through the front door downstairs. Hongjoong almost missed the familiar colours in his skin, but only almost.

Hongjoong was wearing a black turtleneck with him in an accidental partner look with Seonghwa. Only that the demon had a decent coat over it and passed for a nobleman, while Hongjoong didn't look so nice with his black trousers and the crossbow on his back. But well, who paid attention to such minor details?

As always, when Seonghwa didn't have to play the evil demon ruler, his hair fell in soft curls into his forehead. Hongjoong watched with fascination as the wind ruffled them immediately, as soon as he stepped through the door ahead of the boy.

"You don't look like a man-eating demon anymore," he complimented him in high spirits as he closed the door behind him. They began to stride through the park where they had come out while Hongjoong looked around.

There was the gate to a cemetery behind them. Charming.

Hongjoong rushed to Seonghwa’s side and stopped himself from getting on his nerves with the hint that he hadn't teleported them straight to his brother's flat. He must have had his reasons.

The brother would be the last member of Seonghwa's family Hongjoong would meet with Karou. After all, he had already made the acquaintance of his lovely sister. Less than nervousness, it was another restlessness that tightened his stomach. It was the fear of whatever was waiting for him in this household.

Seonghwa made no comment on his obvious panic. He led him purposefully to his brother's house, where he promptly rang the bell. The air of the grey city was cold and foggy around them.

The man who opened the door was wearing a similar face as Seonghwa, though it seemed less dark, less ominous shadows. Rather, he immediately grinned disarmingly and full of dimples before laughingly taking his brother in his arms.

"Hey, brat! I'm honoured that you're coming by again."

Seonghwa just gave him a brotherly nudge in the side, then he released himself again to pull Hongjoong closer to them at the elbow.

"This here is Hong- Betzalel. The god of thieves, I told you about him," he introduced Hongjoong with a smile. He seemed to have softened a bit already. Hongjoong bowed politely.

"Pleased to meet you. I am Seokjin, the nicer one." He childishly stuck out his tongue at Seonghwa. Hongjoong was fascinated by the differences.

Seokjin eagerly waved them in, and Seonghwa became the perfect doorman again. Hongjoong kicked off his boots as he took in the smell of food from inside and the somewhat brighter voice of Seonghwa's brother.

"Karou! Your disgruntled father has finally shown his face again," he shouted amusedly into the surprisingly bright and normal-looking house. Hongjoong just followed him a bit out of place into the kitchen, not forgetting to put his crossbow down in the dressing room first, of course.

"It's about time," a more childlike voice replied bossy from further up, and the two brothers laughed at the same time. Hongjoong looked around curiously.

One could clearly see the loving hand of a woman in the house. There were many plants that seemed to feel comfortable despite the strange inhabitants, and the girl who came running down the stairs also seemed to be sunnier than Hongjoong had expected.

The boys had been right. Hongjoong estimated her to be about ten, but in her dark eyes lay a wisdom that spoke of much more life experience. At least as much as she could experience in the body of a ten-year-old.

But that did not stop Seonghwa from breaking out into a huge grin that made his whole face distort. He lifted his daughter onto his arm with a sweeping gesture, and she let herself be carried away into a hug.

Hongjoong looked at her, her golden skin and the long black hair that poured like silk over Seonghwa's arms. She wore the sweet white dress with colourful flowers on it that seemed vaguely familiar to Hongjoong.

As he looked around to search for Seokjin, he found the man he two of them smiling and with folded arms from the kitchen counter. Hongjoong gave them their moment and joined the yokai.

"I never expected to see him the way he would be with her," he muttered in surprise as Seokjin offered him a glass of water. The man sighed as he turned to the pots on the stove.

"They see each other too rarely. I think this year is the fastest he's ever come back. It's also the first time he brought a former human." Seokjin wagged his eyebrows exaggeratedly. Hongjoong immediately began to wave his hands frantically.

"Oh, no. It's only because I live there permanently and the rest are all a team."

"It's also the first time he's brought anyone but Mingi and Yunho."

Now, Hongjoong was speechless and sulked at him. Seokjin was laughing his fun laugh again as he started rummaging through the cupboards for dishes.

"Unfortunately, my wife is not in the country at the moment, so you'll have to be satisfied with Karou's female support, but I'm absolutely sure you'll get along very well.” Seokjin grinned smugly at him as he handed him a stack of plates. Hongjoong began to set the table in silence, deliberately trying not to listen to Seonghwa's conversation with his somewhat creepy grown-up daughter.

Less than ten minutes later, he was sitting at the table with the whole family of non-humans, eating happily as if they were the most natural gathering the world had ever seen.

While the surroundings were unfamiliar, it fitted Seonghwa. Once again, Hongjoong was struck by a lack of his human life, his freedom. Although he was not bound in any way, it would be impossible for him to return to his usual life; to make the dark alleys of big cities unsafe.

Karou took part in their conversations like an adult and regularly twisted her childish eyes when Seonghwa looked over at her with a silly grin, or reflexively jerked forward to help unnecessarily. Seokjin watched the two of them in amusement and made a touching effort to integrate Hongjoong into conversation from time to time.

The evening ended in peace, and it was almost a pity to have to return to the tower, but the social contact with strangers had also tired Hongjoong out, he could hardly wait to fall back into his bed.

So, it was all the more tragic when he followed Seonghwa tiredly through the corridor towards the throne room, only to find that they had visitors.

Oh, and what visitors.

Hongjoong had not expected to see Yeo Hwanwoong again in this life and in a way he had not, but the sight of his naive and confused eyes in the room was no less surprising.

Seonghwa immediately dropped his mask and stepped into the room as his terrifying oni self. Hongjoong was still slipping out of his cloak and folding it neatly over his arm. He nodded at Jackson and Bambam who were standing side by side next to the throne and with folded arms, eyed Hwanwoong.

Hongjoong could well understand, he was a strange fellow.

Jongho stepped through the nearest wall to them, and Hwanwoong flinched briefly, then his eyes touched Hongjoong. He didn't seem to recognise him. The god found his place at Jongho's side.

"Can I stay or am I disturbing the court ruling," he whispered to him without taking his eyes off the confused man in his noble outfit. Jongho just raised his shoulders.

"I don't see what the problem would be."

Silently, they watched as Hwanwoong was beckoned to the throne by Jackson. The man hesitated to face the oni but gave in reasonably easy. But instead of kneeling before him as he was supposed to, the man remained upright and defensive, looking over to Seonghwa on the same level. Seonghwa’s face showed no change at all, but Hongjoong could guess that he was not satisfied.

Bambam, on the other hand, seemed significantly taken with the young man.

"So, you committed suicide, huh? Poor guy, what happened?" Jackson saved the situation once more, and Seonghwa tilted his head while watching the prince, his lidless eyes cold.

Hwanwoong stumbled a bit over his own words as he dug for an answer.

"It was not suicide, it was murder! The peasant - that is, the maiden - poisoned my wine! Whether it was of her own will or that of an enemy, it was clearly murder!" He raised his voice and looked around seriously. Jongho began to sway his head around uncertainly.

"The situation is complicated. Even if it was murder, in the end, he took the poison himself. That makes it suicide in our understanding here."

"If it were not suicide, what would happen?"

"Everything as usual, he would be handed over to Bambam and the concerning gods. That's you and Seonghwa. You agree on a sentence and Mingi carries it out," Jongho explained to him in a subdued manner. Hwanwoong's pale face turned to them briefly when he heard them whispering, then he concentrated on Seonghwa again.

"Well, here it's considered suicide. Don't worry, it's probably better this way than another. Let me introduce you. You already know Jongho, your reaper. This here is Bambam, your mortal sin and new mentor. I'm-" Hongjoong faded out the rest in Jackson's warm voice and turned to the next wall.

"Well, have fun with him."

Jongho waved his hand, distracted, then Hongjoong was already gone. He made his way to the library, found it a very pleasant place to relax at. The smell of countless old books around him, the soft whisper of long-forgotten writings that were hoping to feel the warm hands of a living being again, and the secure silence lured him like a moth to the light.

Hongjoong made himself comfortable on his favourite divan and closed his eyes for the time being. He was lost in the few memories he still had of his human life: a dark life, but a good one.

Hwanwoong had been a prince. The unhappy prince of his hometown. Incapable in the eyes of politics but liked by society for his naivety. Hongjoong remembered stealing from him, being chased through the castle by his angry guards while boxes of gold and jewels strummed in his arms.

The memory brought a blissful smile to his lips. The memory of Hwanwoong’s stupidly perplexed face when he had victoriously run past his chambers, while he looked out of his blue robe confused with a lantern and a sleep cap on, was still worth gold to this day.

Hongjoong giggled softly to himself and then opened one eye, when he noticed the strange presence in the room. It was Seonghwa, who came towards him in a balanced manner. His mask was intact again, and a grin painted his lips.

"You know each other, huh? I don't think he recognized you."

"He was the prince of my country. Far too dull to be worth killing, but maybe that's why they killed him." He pulled his legs closer together, so Seonghwa could find room at the end of the divan.

"Thanks for taking me along today, by the way. I think it did me good to get out. Karou is really sweet," he smiled softly. He watched Seonghwa’s face brighten like the morning sky and his hands came up to barely hide his big grin.

"She is, yes. I had fun."

Smiling, Hongjoong leaned back and continued to ponder the past.

-

Whenever Hongjoong received cases that were definitely addressed to him, San was always present and complicated the situation with his unpleasant grin. Seonghwa and he only tried to formulate a just punishment.

Some of the souls simply resigned themselves to their fate, others fought against it. They often tried to attack him first, which always turned out to be a mistake. The rest tried to negotiate and make their verdict more harmless, but the ugly thoughts of the people always seemed the same.

So, Hongjoong found it all the more fascinating that Jackson got along with them and insisted on what was good there. He was the good-hearted angel he had been chosen to be.

But he, too, was a bit too pushy from time to time. Like today.

"Okay, so who wants to go to Blocksberg and celebrate Walpurgis Night with me?

Hongjoong glanced helplessly at Yeosang at his side. He seemed to be thinking hard already.

"It's a fancy dress party! There is no danger and you can just go as usual as a freak show." Seonghwa chose to ignore the way Jackson's gaze glided over him as he spoke.

"I can't, I've already promised my lama a revanche in Chinese chess," San replied as if he had rehearsed. Jackson rolled his eyes as everyone at the table collectively burst into increasingly absurd excuses as to why they couldn't go.

In the end they improvised and went with Jackson to his party.

That was how Hongjoong’s life was now structured. Duties, escaping Jackson, amusing demons, and starting all over again.

Not that he was complaining. After all, he had the immortality he wanted.


End file.
